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Where residents do not or cannot mow their berms, contractors can wait until the grass grows to 200mm before mowing it to within 75mm of the ground.

The new steps do not go far enough for some ward councillors in the old Auckland City boundaries.

Albert-Eden-Roskill councillor Chris Fletcher said the policy needed reviewing. Former Auckland City residents, who paid to have their berms mown through their rates, were receiving a lower level of service and paying higher rates.

Orakei councillor Cameron Brewer said he planned an amendment for the proper reinstatement of berm mowing, which could be funded from a special $101 million dividend from Auckland Airport, or internal savings.

"The policy has failed dismally and saved nothing. The silliness and constant fighting with the elderly, sick, migrants and those who don't have a lawn mower has to stop," he said.

A paper going to the regional strategy and policy committee on the issue does not have any costings or say if Auckland Transport has met its $3 million savings target.

Onehunga resident Rex McLeod, 62, who told the Herald last October he had never seen the berms look so bad, believed the council should mow everyone's berms.

The council has said extending the same service throughout the Super City would cost an extra $12 million to $15 million a year.